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#6391 of 9,539 schools in CA

La Quinta Middle

Middle School · Desert Sands Unified · La Quinta, CA

A Desert Sands Unified middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

78-900 Avenue 50, La Quinta, CA 92253

  • Math 21% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 34% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.6Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.28 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.7Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency20.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.2% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-14.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-11.7 pts
Overall Proficiency27% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)27% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected+0.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile40th
Resources & Environment3.6Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio22.9:1
District spending per student$17,070
Chronic Absenteeism43.2%

Students at La Quinta Middle score 27% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 27%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency21%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency34%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 13 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 27% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
34%
ELA
47%
2010
Math
31%
ELA
50%
2011
Math
40%
ELA
57%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
55%
2014
Math
22%
ELA
26%
2015
Math
18%
ELA
37%
2016
Math
21%
ELA
34%
2017
Math
25%
ELA
33%
2018
Math
28%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
28%
ELA
40%
2020*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2021*
Math
25%
ELA
25%
2022
Math
24%
ELA
37%
2024
Math
21%
ELA
34%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

84.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where La Quinta Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 15Car-Dependent
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,130/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (La Quinta), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$97,397

Median home value

$612,800

Median rent

$1,741/mo

College educated

38.9%

Homeownership

74.8%

Poverty rate

9.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92253; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
John Glenn Middle School of International StudiesEnrollment path unverified4.16–82.4 mi1,065Compare →
Colonel Mitchell Paige MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.06–83.2 mi397Compare →
HorizonEnrollment path unverified6.6K–123.2 mi356Compare →
Indio MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.06–83.2 mi780Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Desert Sands Unified

Schools in district
35
Rank in district
#12 of 33
District spending per student
$17,070NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

La Quinta Middle is listed in Desert Sands Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About La Quinta Middle

La Quinta Middle is a public middle school in La Quinta, CA, part of Desert Sands Unified, serving approximately 688 students in grades 6th-8th with a 22.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #6,391 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about La Quinta Middle

What grades does La Quinta Middle serve?

La Quinta Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend La Quinta Middle?

La Quinta Middle has an enrollment of approximately 688 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at La Quinta Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at La Quinta Middle is 22.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does La Quinta Middle rank in CA?

La Quinta Middle ranks #6,391 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is La Quinta Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

La Quinta Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at La Quinta Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, La Quinta Middle has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is La Quinta Middle a charter school?

No, La Quinta Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is La Quinta Middle a Title I school?

No, La Quinta Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for La Quinta Middle?

84.4% of students at La Quinta Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
688
Student-Teacher Ratio
22.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Riverside County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
43.2%
Area population (ZIP 92253)
38,281
Area average commute
26.3 min
Area median age
52.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92253; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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